Phaethon was the son of the sun god Helios. When challenged about his parentage, Phaethon's mother convinced him to ask Helios himself. Helios confirmed Phaethon was his son and promised him any gift. Phaethon asked to drive Helios' fiery chariot for a day. However, Phaethon lost control of the horses, scorching the earth and drying up rivers. Zeus struck Phaethon down with lightning to end his destruction. Phaethon's body was buried by nymphs.

1. PHAËTHON

2. • Gods of the Sun. The titan HYPERION,
god of the sun, was father of HELIOS,
also a god of the sun.
• Later the god APOLLO became a god of
the sun as well.
• The sun-god dwells in the East, crosses
the dome of the sky in his chariot drawn
by a team of four horses, descends in the
West into the stream of Oceanus, which
encircles the earth, and then sails back to
the East to begin a new day.

3. • The Son of a Sun-God.
PHAËTHON, son of the
sun-god Helios by one
of his mistresses,
Clymene. According to
Ovid’s account,
Phaëthon was
challenged by the
accusation that the Sun
was not his real father
at all.
• His mother, Clymene,
however, swore to him
that he was truly the
child of Helios and told
him that he should, if he
so desired, ask his
father, the god himself. Gustave Moreau (1826-1898)

4. • Ovid describes in glowing terms the magnificent palace of the Sun, with its
towering columns, gleaming with gold and polished ivory.
• Phaëthon, awed by the grandeur, is prevented from coming too close to the
god because of his radiance.
• Helios, however, confirms Clymene’s account of Phaëthon’s parentage,
lays aside the rays that shine around his head, and orders his son to
approach.
• He embraces him and promises on an oath sworn by the Styx that the boy
may have any gift that he likes so that he may dispel his doubts once and
for all.

5. • Phaëthon quickly and decisively
asks that he be allowed to drive
his father’s chariot for one day.
• Helios tries to talk him out of it
by telling him that not even
Zeus would dare to drive it, as
the chariot was fiery hot and the
horses breathed out flames.
Phaeton is adamant.
• He reluctantly leads the youth to
his chariot, fashioned
exquisitely by Vulcan, of gold,
silver, and jewels that reflect the
brilliant light of the god. The
chariot is yoked; Helios anoints
his son’s face as protection
against the flames, places the
rays on his head, and with
heavy heart advises him on his
course and the management of
the horses.

6. • Phaëthon, young and inexperienced, is
unable to control the four winged horses
that speed from their usual path. The
chariot races to the heights of heaven,
creating havoc by the intensity of the
heat, then hurtles down to earth. Ovid
delights in his description of the
destruction:
• "...consider what impetuous force Turns
stars and planets in a diff'rent course. I
steer against their motions; nor am I
born back by all the current of the sky.
But how cou'd you resist the orbs that
roll in adverse whirls, and stem the rapid
pole?"
• First it veered too high, so that the earth
grew chill. Then it dipped too close, and
the vegetation dried and burned. He
accidentally turned most of Africa into
desert; bringing the blood of the
Ethiopians to the surface of their skin,
turning it black.

7. • "The running
conflagration
spreads below. But
these are trivial ills:
whole cities burn,
And peopled
kingdoms into
ashes turn."
• Rivers and lakes
began to dry up,
Poseidon rose out
of the sea and
waved his trident in
anger at the sun,
but soon the heat
became even too
great for him and
he dove to the
bottom of the sea.

8. • Zeus, in answer to
earth’s prayer hurls his
thunder and lightning
and shatters the chariot,
dashing Phaëthon to his
death.
• The river Eridanus
receives and bathes
him, and nymphs bury
him with the following
inscription upon his
tomb: "Here Phaëthon
lies who drove the Sun-god's
car. Greatly he
failed, but greatly he
dared."
Michelangelo